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# a handful

phrase (noun phrase: a handful, handfuls)

«a handful» in the English dictionary: in the primary school — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## In the primary school

Source: Mova's pupils' dictionary. Licence: [Elamur Cosmic License](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/LICENSE/). Reviewed: the dictionary the pupils of Mova's primary school read; its examples quote the lessons and public-domain tales. Ships with Mova.

### Meaning

1. (euphemism, informal) a person, often a child or pet, who is hard to control or look after.
2. (literal) as much as you can hold in one hand.
3. a small number: only a handful of people came.

### In the lessons

Parents and teachers say «he's a handful» to say a child is naughty or wild, kindly; all regions. The literal and «few» senses are very common in maths stories.

### Examples

- Our new puppy is a real handful.
- My little brother is a handful at bedtime.
- Report: «Charlie can be a handful but has a kind heart.»
- She took a handful of sweets.
- Only a handful of people came to the meeting.
- Add a handful of nuts to the bowl.

### Note

As a euphemism it stands for «badly behaved, hard work». In maths, «a handful» is a vague small number — not an exact count. Plural «handfuls».